Chapter 43: The Duke’s Daughter and the Demon Octopus (Votes Please)

Facing the ferocious tiger, Xu Feng remained utterly unperturbed. There was nothing surprising about this—the so-called “king of beasts” was merely a classification among ordinary animals. Relying solely on its sharp teeth and claws, a tiger might not even prevail against a low-tier magical beast. To him, it was no more significant than an insect. After all, Xu Feng was now a Mid-Tier Upper Mage.

“Roar!”

The tiger emitted a low, guttural growl. Its instincts screamed danger—the young man standing before it radiated an eerie, oppressive pressure. Yet having starved for two days, the beast refused to abandon a meal so tantalizingly close. Men die for wealth; birds die for food—a universal truth.

Roar!

The tiger lifted its head and roared toward the sky, then lunged forward with lightning speed. Its razor-sharp claws and fangs gleamed coldly in the air.

A chorus of shrieks erupted. The three young women frantically threw themselves into Xu Feng’s arms. Sighing softly, the young man extended his right hand and flicked his finger lightly. A stream of frigid air materialized instantly, and icy particles—like shimmering chains—froze the “king of beasts” in place.

On Hailan Star, magical elements did not repel one another. Though Xu Feng primarily cultivated fire magic, he had also dabbled in water magic. While far from masterful, his proficiency was more than sufficient to subdue a mere beast.

“All right—over already!”

The girls still trembled violently, clinging tightly to his clothes, paralyzed with fear. Xu Feng shook his head and gently patted their backs. “It’s fine—the tiger’s dead. You’re safe now.”

After a long silence, the boldest of the three—Daisy—slowly opened her eyes, then let out a soft gasp, covering her mouth with her hand. Hearing it, Fanny and Linda cautiously followed suit, their faces frozen in pure, wide-eyed astonishment. Where had the tiger gone? Before them stood only an exquisitely lifelike ice sculpture—so vivid it was uncanny. Could it be…

“Brother Xu Feng—are you a mage?”

“Yes.” The young man nodded. Since he’d already revealed his power, there was no point concealing it.

Hearing his confirmation, the three women exchanged glances—and their expressions shifted dramatically. Admiration sparkled in their eyes. Mages embodied power itself. On Hailan Star, they were held in even higher esteem than nobles. No wonder Brother Xu Feng knew nothing of archery—he simply deemed it beneath him. Compared to other nobles his age, he was truly extraordinary.

True gold shines wherever it goes. Poor Xu Feng had no intention of pursuing romance, yet his wit, charm, uniqueness, and identity as a mage had unwittingly captivated several noble-born young women.

For the remainder of the journey, the girls grew unusually quiet. Men are often oblivious—Xu Feng assumed they were still shaken by the earlier fright. He failed to notice that whenever they stole glances at him, their eyes held something new—something warmer, deeper.

Time flowed like water, slipping silently away.

Xu Feng checked his magical chronometer—two hours had passed. By tradition, the solo hunting phase had ended, and all participants were expected to regroup and compare their hauls.

Leading the three women toward the forest’s edge, they walked roughly a hundred meters when suddenly, a cacophony of cries, screams, and shouts erupted ahead—chilling their spines.

What had happened?

Xu Feng frowned. As a mage, his senses were exceptionally acute. He detected an unusually potent energy signature ahead—faint but unmistakable magical fluctuations. Yet a noble hunting ground should harbor no magical beasts whatsoever.

What was going on?

A deep sense of foreboding rose within him. He signaled the women to stay put and not wander off, then hurried forward. What he saw left him stunned…

Trees lay uprooted and scattered, broken branches and fallen leaves carpeting the ground. The once-dense woodland had been transformed into a vast, barren clearing. At its center, a colossal monster raged unchecked. Its appearance? How to describe it? It resembled an Earthly octopus—but unlike its aquatic counterpart, this abomination moved freely on land.

A group of people was trapped inside the clearing, besieged by the monster. Xu Feng squinted into the distance to identify the unfortunate souls. His gaze landed on someone who startled him—it was Duke Walter himself.

“Your Grace! Take the young lady and young master and flee at once!”

As leader of the southern nobility and scion of one of the empire’s most powerful families, Walter naturally traveled with a large retinue of guards. Yet the octopus monster was terrifyingly fierce. Its slick, armored hide deflected sword strikes effortlessly; even Battle Aura could only inflict shallow wounds—wounds that only enraged it further.

Roar!

Eight massive tentacles lashed out repeatedly. The duke’s guards struggled just to close the distance—and those who did were occasionally seized, entangled, and flung aside. Blood sprayed through the air; some were even hoisted aloft and hurled straight into the monster’s gaping maw.

Such a horrifying creature!

Victory was impossible. Their sole objective now was ensuring the duke’s escape. But that, too, proved difficult—the Demon Octopus would not relinquish prey already within its grasp.

Xu Feng frowned. Though he’d only lived on Hailan Star for a few months, he was an avid reader—far more knowledgeable than those boastful nobles. The creature before him was a Demon Octopus: a high-tier amphibious monster. It had no business appearing here at all. Could it be…? A suspicion of conspiracy stirred in his mind.

The situation deteriorated rapidly. The duke’s guards dwindled by the minute. Against such a foe, Battle Aura was only half as effective—while magic would prove far more decisive. Yet mages were exceedingly rare—and notoriously aloof. Even Duke Walter’s prestigious estate employed only two mages, neither of whom participated in hunts. After all, mages weren’t immortal—who could have foreseen the duke stumbling into mortal peril during a routine hunt?

A cold smile curled at the corner of Xu Feng’s lips. He made no move to intervene. He bore no friendship toward this duke—on the contrary, he harbored considerable resentment toward Baron Riva. If the Demon Octopus eliminated that insufferable baron, it would be a most satisfying outcome.

It wasn’t that Xu Feng reveled in others’ misfortune—ingratitude was rampant in the world. Why risk his life for strangers? Besides, the Demon Octopus was no easy opponent.

Yet fate is fickle. Events unfolded quite differently from what Xu Feng anticipated.

Those surrounding the duke grew fewer and fewer. Riva’s face twisted in despair. The coward had even wet himself in terror. Still, fortune favored him—the octopus hadn’t singled him out as primary prey.

“Ah!”

A scream—terrified, yet melodious and graceful—pierced the air. A slender, elegant figure was snatched aloft by one of the monster’s tentacles.

“Yue’er!”

“My lady!”

…

The duke turned deathly pale; his guards cried out in panic. Walter tried to rush forward, only to be restrained forcefully by loyal retainers.

“Protect His Grace!”

Laiske, captain of the duke’s guard, gritted his teeth. A silvery layer of Battle Aura surged forth, enveloping his body and flowing into his blade until he shimmered with radiant silver light. As captain of the duke’s personal guard, Laiske possessed formidable cultivation—a Low-Rank High Knight. Across the continent, he ranked among the elite.

Yet the Demon Octopus possessed innate 50% resistance to physical attacks. Laiske lacked confidence—but with the young lady captured, duty demanded he risk everything.

With a thunderous roar, the captain leapt high, thrusting his sword forward to sever the tentacle. High-tier magical beasts possessed intelligence. Instinct warned the octopus of danger—its eight limbs retracted instantly, weaving a tight defensive net. Laiske shifted tactics repeatedly, yet still failed to rescue the duke’s daughter.

Of course, a High Knight’s strength was extraordinary. Blood splattered across the clearing, and the Demon Octopus sustained numerous wounds—but none proved fatal. Its cavernous maw gaped wide, stretching toward the tentacle holding the young woman.

“Yue’er!”

The duke was frantic—yet helpless—as he watched his beloved daughter delivered straight to the beast’s jaws. Then—unexpectedly—a blazing flame blade, over half a meter in diameter, sliced through the air with a piercing whistle…

Sss—

Amidst the blood, the Demon Octopus’s tentacle severed cleanly midair. The beast unleashed an earth-shattering roar—the first time it had suffered serious injury since the battle began!

The sudden reversal left everyone stunned. Freed from the monster’s grip, the duke’s daughter plummeted from midair. She was but a delicate young woman—falling from seven or eight meters would surely prove fatal. Yet the octopus’s remaining tentacles still blocked all paths of rescue.

Would this exquisite maiden—this beautiful daughter of the duke—truly wither like a fragile flower? Some had already closed their eyes, unable to bear watching…

Lingyuesi, too, felt utter despair—helplessness flooding her heart. Then—she felt a strong arm encircle her slender waist. Her descent halted—and she even seemed to rise slowly.

What was happening?

She opened her eyes—and saw a handsome young man smiling gently at her, his expression warm as sunlight melting spring snow. In that instant, his demeanor, his smile, imprinted themselves indelibly upon the duke’s daughter’s heart.

Dispelling fear. Dispelling sorrow.

“Are you all right?”

Lingyuesi shook her head.

The young man was, of course, Xu Feng. Though he bore no affection for Duke Walter—and had even hoped Baron Riva would perish at the monster’s hands—the situation had taken an unforeseen turn: Miss Lingyuesi had fallen into peril.

As the saying goes, all admire beauty. Watching such a blossom-like maiden about to be devoured by the octopus, Xu Feng could not stand idly by. Of course—a beauty must be saved!